Cold Cucumber and Mint Soup

Cucumbers are essentially recommended by each and every weight loss diet as it is really low in calories and helps keep the stomach stay full for hours. They contain high amounts of potassium, and a small amount of Vitamin C, which make them great as an addition to any salad. Cucumber also cools down the body and soothes your skin.

They are also intensely hydrating to the skin, so they are often used to remove dark circles under the eyes and reduce swelling of the skin.

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped, about 3 cups in total

1 cup of non-fat buttermilk

2 tablespoon mint, chopped

1 clove of garlic

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

Salt to taste

A pinch of black pepper

Procedure:

In a food processor, combine the cucumbers with the bell peppers and grind into a coarse paste, adding the mint and the garlic at the very last minute, and blend for 15 seconds. Put the ground cucumber in a bowl with the cold buttermilk, and stir to combine.

Add the vinegar, ½ cup of cold water, and a pinch of black pepper, and store it in an airtight container in a fridge till it is ready to be served. At serving time, remove from the fridge, add salt to taste, and serve in small bowls.

It is incredible to note that this humble vegetable (and it also falls into the fruit category) can be made into a really cooling soup, and the addition of nonfat buttermilk enhances the flavors of the soup largely.

Low-fat buttermilk is really tasty, and using it in this soup brings in some much-needed milk-protein and gives the soup a boost of flavors and nutrition as well. Bell peppers are also rich in Vitamin C.